Control system



Jan. 25, 1944. M. E. REAGANA 2,340,079

cpNTRoL SYSTEM Filed March 19, 1942 wxTNEssEs=' (5.7 fr; D nizNToRI ya@ j'. Mair/'ce /Fea; aw.

Patented Jan. 25, 1944 coN'rRoL SYSTEM Maurice E. Reaganylittsburgh, Pa., assigner to YWestinghouse-Electric & -Manufacturng Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., .a corporation of y Pennsylvania ApplicationMarch-y 19, 1942seria1 No. 435,361

`12 claims. (omit- 311) The present invention relates, generally, to control systems, and, more particularly, to remote control systems for automatic reclosing. circuit breakers.

Automatic reclosing circuit breaker control systems commonly have closing and tripping apparatus associated with the controlled circuit breaker in a switching yard or breaker station and other control and indicating apparatus in a nearby substation or control room,` the two sets of apparatus being connected by control conductors extendingV between the apparatus at `the breaker and the apparatus in 'the control room through a conduit. Heretofore such systems have required a considerable number of control conductors between the control station and the breaker yard or station, thus necessitatingthe use or a control conduit having a largecontrol circuit capacity. This resulted inhigh purchase and installation costs of the control conductors which extend between the control station `and. the controlled station, f

, An object of the present invention is to provide an .automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system'whichshall require a minimum ofcontrol conductors cxtendingbetween a control point and the point at which the controlled breaker is dis posed, and which shall be simple andv efficient in operation and inexpensive to'manufacture, install, operate and maintain.

These and other objects and advantagesv of the invention will be apparent fronithe following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingin whichy Figs. l and 2 are diagrammatic representations .of circuit breaker control systems which embody the principal features of my invention in which like reference characters designate like elements of apparatus. l

In practicing the invention, in theembodiment of Fig. 1,'a circuit breaker 4 having a closing coil 6, a tripping mechanism 8 and auxiliary relays I0 and I2 associated therewith, is vdisposed in a breaker yard, bank or station, and is connected with a control roomI or station by means of the conductors I4, I and, I8.' At the control station a protective relay 20, a manually operabl'econtrol device 22, an auxiliary relay24, an alarm "26', and indicatinglarnps 28 and` 30 are connected to control and .be controlled by the circuit breaker `4 over the control conductors I4, I6 and I8. The embodiment of the invention of Fig. 2 is generally the same except that it also includes atoggle relay 32, vafreactor 34and a timing device 35.

'Considering thel invention Lindetail,` -in the embodiment of the invention of Fig. 1, the manually operable control device 22 comprises operating members 40 and42 which are disposed to operate circuit control devices 44 and 46, respectively, and to actuate a pivot arm 48 by means of members 5U and 5I to, in turn, actuate a contact element 52. `The pivoted arm 4a is disposed to be held in actuated position by a spring member 53. When the `operatingmember 45 is actuated, the contact element 52 is moved to closed circuit position to close an energizing circuit for the relay Iii extending from positive potential indicated by the plus sign, through conductors 54, 55 and Sii, the contact element 52, a conductor 58, a contact element 6I] of the relay 24, the conductor I8, the winding of the relay IE), a conductor 62, a contact element 64 actuated by the circuit breaker 6, a conductor 65, a contact element 68 of the relay I2, and conductors land 'I2 to the other terminal ofthe source of control power. The source of control power indicated by the plus and minus signs is understood to be a source of direct current potential such `as a battery which is common to the control station and the breaker station.

The actuation of the relay ID will close an energizing Acircuit forth@ closing coil 6 of the circuit breaker 4v extending from positive control potential through la, conductor 14, a contact element I6 of the relay IIJ, a conductor 18, the winding of the closing coil4 6, conductors 80 and 82, a contact element 84 ofthe relay IQ, and conductors 86 and 'i2 to negative control potential. When the circuit breaker moves towards closed position, its contact element E4 will be moved to open cir cuit position .and a currentlimiting resistor 83, which is connected between the conductors 62 and 66 in shunting relation with the contact element 64, willmaintain an 'energizing circuit for the relay I0, and the relay ID will be maintained in the operated position. The resistor 88 may be of such value of resistance as to permit sufficient current to iiow inthe winding of the relay I0 to hold the relay IiI inl operative position but to prevent sufficient current tol flow in the winding of the relay I0 to operate the relay in the released position.

The operation oi the circuit breaker 5 with relay I0 held closed will close an energizing circuit forr the. relay I2 extending from positive control potential through the conductor 14, the contact element 15, a conductor 90, the winding of the relay I2, a conductor 92, a contact element 94, the conductor 82, the contact element,84,.and the conductors 86 and 'I2 to negative control potential. IThe closure oi the circuitbreaker. will also close an energizing circuit for the auxiliary relay 24 at the control station extending from positive control potential, through conductors 54 and 06, the winding of the relay 24, the conductor I6, a Contact element 98 actuated by the circuit breaker 4, the conductors 30 and 82, the contact element 84 and the conductors 86 and 'i2 to negative control potential. The relay I2 Will open the holding circuit for the relay I by moving its contact element 08 to open circuit position and the relaly 24 will open the energizing circuit for the relay I0 by moving its contact element 60 from the lower Contact position tothe'upper contact position. The deenergizationyof; the relay I0 will cause its contact element 'I6 to open the circuit for the relay |2 and the Winding of the closing coil 6 of the circuit breaker 4. The movement of the contact element 60 of the relay 24 to the upper Contact position Will close an energizing circuit for the alarm 26 extending from positive control potential through the conductors 54 and Ii, the contact element 60, a conductor |02, the alarm 26, and conductors |04 and |05 to negative control potential at the control station. When the circuit breaker 4 is moved to closed position the latch device 8 will move its detent |06 behind the detent |08 actuated by the circuit breaker 4 to hold the circuit breaker in closed circuit posi tion until the datent |0615 removed from the path of the detent |08 by the energization of the trip- Y ping device 8.

In the closed position, the circuit breaker`4 will close an energizing circiut for the indicating device 28 extending from positive control potential at the control station through conductors 54 and iI, the indicating device 28, conductors H2, H4, I4 and H6, the winding oi' the tripping mechanism 8, a conductor H8, a contact element actuated by the circuit breaker, and conductors |22 and I2 to negative control potential at the breaker station. When the circuit'breaker 4 is in the o-pen circuit position, the contact element |28 will close an energizing circuit `for the indicating device 38 Yat the control station extending from positive control potential at the breaker station through conductors 'I4 and |24, the contact element |20, conductors I4, H4 and H2, the indicating device and conductors |26 and |05 to negative control potential at the control station.

The relay 24 will be held in actuated position by the engagement of its detent |28 by a detent |30 which may be removed to release the relay |24 by actuating a manually operable member |32 against the bias of a spring member |34.

The circuit breaker 4 may be tripped by a protective relay 20 Whose contact element |35 is disposed to close an energizing circuit for the tripping mechanism 8, extending from positive control potential at the control station through the conductors 54 and 55, the contact element |36, the conductors H4, I4 and H6, the Winding of the tripping mechanism 8, the conductor H3, the contact element |20, and the conductors |22 and 'I2 to negative control potential at the breaker station. The circuit breaker may also be tripped by actuation of the contact element 46 which Will close a shunting circuit i'or the contact element |36 extending vfrom the conductor 54 through conductors |38 and |40, the contact element 46, and the conductor I4 to conductor H4.'

l The circuit breaker 4 may `be"closed.by the Contact element 44 when the relay 20isf actu# ated in a circuit which extends from positive control potential at the control station through the conductors 54 and |38, the contact element 44, conductors |42 and i8, the Winding of the relay I0, the conductor 62, the contact element 64, the conductor 66, the contact element 55, and the conductors 1E) and I2 to negative control potential at the breaker station.,

It is to be understood that the tripping device lSjmay be so designed as to be actuated only when the full potential from the control source is applied thereto and that it will not be actuated when the Winding of the trip device 8 is connected in circuit with the indicating device 28.

In the operation of the system of Fig. 1, the circuit breaker 4 may be tripped by the protec- .tive device 20and the contact element 64, together with the contact elements G and 52 in normalclosed position, Will cause the relay i5 to be energized. The relay I0 will close the circuit breaker 4 which, in turn, will energize the relay 24. The relay 24 will open the energizing circuit for the relay I0 and will be latched in operated position. When the circuit breaker is thus closed, if the contact element |36 is still in the closed` position or if the protective relay operates again thereafter, the circuit breaker will again be tripped, but this time it will not be reclosed for the reason that the contact element 66 which is in the energizing circuit of the relay Iil will be held in open circuit position with respect to that circuit by Vthe latch members V28 and |30.

On the rst tripping of the circuit breaker 4,

the indicating device 28 will be deenergized and the indicating device 30 will be energized, and when the circuit breaker is reclosed, the indicating device 38 will be energized, the indicating device 28 will be deenergized, and the alarm 26 will be energized.

f the circuit breaker 4 stays closed upon reclosure, which will be indicated by the indicating device 30, the operator may actuate the detent |30 to release the relay 24, thus deenergizing the alarm 26 and permitting the contact ele ment 60 to prepare the energizing circuit for the relay I0 to be operated by the circuit breaker 14 when it is next tripped. Y

When it is desired to trip the circuit breaker 4 manually4 without reclosing it automatically, the contact element 46 may be actuated, and when this is done the contact element 52 Will be moved to open circuit position, thereby opening the energizing circuit for the relay IU and preventing the relay I0 from being energized when the circuit breaker 4 opens. 1

lIn the embodiment of the invention of Fig.` 2 the energizing circuit for the relay I0 extends from positive control potential at the control station, through conductors 54, 55 and 56, the contact element 52, conductors |44jan`d |46, a contact element |48 of the togglerelay 32, the

conductor I8, the Winding of the relay I0,.the.

conductor 62, the contact element 64, thecon ductor 66, the contact element 68, and conductors 'I6 and 'I2 to negative control potential at the breaker station. When the circuit breaker 4'is closed by the mechanism at the breaker station, as described hereinabove in connection with the embodiment of the invention of Fig. l, a solenoid |54 of the ltoggle switch 32 Willvbe energized in a circuit extending from positive control potential atthe control station through conductors 54, |50 and |52, the windinglof thelsolenoid |54,`the conductor I6, the contact element 2,340,079 sa, the conductors-'su andante Contact element 84., and the conductors 86 and 12 5to nega-tive control potential at the breaker station.

The reclosure of the circuit breaker 4 will for the relay I and close an alternating current circuit for the/timing device f36 extending'from one terminal of a source of alternating current through conductors |66 and |66, the winding of the timing device 36, a conductor |68, the contact element |64, a conductor I1||,'a reactive winding |12 of the reactor 34, a conductor I 14, another reactivewinding |16 of the reactor 34, and conductors I18 and |80 to the other terminal of the alternating current source. The reactor 34 is so designed that, when the current which actuates the indicating device 28 is'iiowing in the winding |60 of the reactor 3-4, the core of the reactor 34 will be sufciently saturated to reducethe reactance of the reactive windings |12 and |16 and to thus permitsuiiicient current to` flow to actuate the timing device 36. The timing device 36 may comprise an inductive disk timer or any equivalent device actuable by a1- ternating current to close its contact element I8I at a predtermined time after its initial energization.

With the contact element |48 in left-hand circuit closing position, afterthe predetermined time interval of the timing device 36, the vcontact element ISI will be moved to closed circuit position to close an energizing circuit for thev toggle relay 32 extending from positive control potential at the control station through `conductors 54, |56 and I82,'the contact element |48, a conductor |84, a solenoid winding |86 of" the toggle switch 32, the contact element I8I, the conductors |I4 and |G2,the indicating device 30 and conductors |81'and |05 to negative control potential. The'actuation of the toggle switch 32 by the solenoid |86 will open the energizing circuit for the timing device 36 by the movement ofthe contact element |64 to open circuit position and will prepare the venergizing circuit for the relay I0 by moving the contact element |48 tothe right-hand circuit closing' position.

In the operationv of the embodiment of the invention of 2, when the circu'itbreaker 4 is tripped by the protective device 20 it will be immediately reclosed, and, if it remains closed for the time period of the timing device 36, the system will be reset to again immediately reclose the braker when it is tripped. n However,v if the circuit breaker does'not remain closed when reclosed, but trips again within' the time interval determined by the timing device 36, the contact element |28 will move from the upper contact position to deenergi'ze the s'aturating coil |60 which willfso increase thereactanceof the" windings |12 and |16 as to vprevent further'actuation of the iming device 36,`and` the Contact" element of 4'the vtimingY devicev 36"'will 'thereforevbe pre-- vented frirfirivig 'to cisdicircitposition to" l again prepare the energizing circuit Vfor the reclosing relay -I El. The indicating device 28 (will be f energized as explained hereinbefore, and the indicating'device 36 will be energized when the circuit breaker -4 is in open position in a circuit extending from positive potential from `the breaker station, through'the conductors 14 and |24, the contact'element |26, the conductors I'4, I I4 and 462, the indicating-device |36 and the conductors |81 and |65 to negative potential at the control station.

It isto be particularly noted that the systems of both embodiments ofthe invention operate over only the three control conductors I4, I6'and I8 between the control and the breaker stations to provide automatic Avtrip, reclosure vand indication for the circuit breaker `4, as wellas manual control of the circuit breaker4 ,by the contact'elementsv44 and 46, thus requiring a minimum-number of control conductors extending between the control and breaker stations.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes, I have shown-and described herein the preferred embodiment of my invention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise constructions shown and described, but is capable of modification by one skilled in the art, the embodiments shown herein being merely illustrative of the principles of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In 'an automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system,ii1st, second, 'and third control conductors extending between'a circuit breaker and acontrol station, means actuable 'at the control station including said first conductor for closing the breaker, means actuable at the control station and including said second conductor for tripping the circuit breaker, means responsive to r render the said means responsive to the' opening of the breaker ineffective to elect'a second reclosure of the breaker in the event that the break-- er'is tripped following the first reclosure thereof.

2. In an `automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system, rst, second, and third control conductors extending between a controlstation and a rcircuit breaker, closing means for the circuit breaker, tripping means or thecircuit breaker, means actuable at the control station and including said rstconductor for actuating the closing means,V means actuable at the control station and including said second control conductor for actuating said breaker tripping means','means responsive to the opening of the circuit breaker and including said first controlV conductor 'for actuating said breaker closing means to automatically reclose the breaker, and means at the control station operable in response tc the relclosure of the breaker by means including said third control conductor for rendering the means responsive to the opening of the breaker ineiective to effect a second reclosure of the breaker in theevent that the breaker is tripped following the said rst reclosure thereof.

3. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system, first, second, and third control conductors extending between a control station and a circuit breaker, closing means for the circuit breaker, tripping means for the `"circuit breaker,""`rnans" actuable z'alttt'hel` control' station" 'and 'in'-v cludingsaid rst control conductor for operating thefclosing means, means actuable from the control `station and including said second control conductor for actuating said breaker tripping means to open the breaker, means responsive to the opening ofthe circuitV breaker and including said first control conductor for actuating said breaker closing means tc automatically reclose the breaker, and means at the control station operable in response to the reclosure of the breaker by means including said third control conductor to render the means responsive to the opening of the breaker ineifective to effect a second reclosure of the breaker in the event that the breaker is tripped within a predetermined time interval following theiirst reclosure.

4. In` an automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system, rst, second, and third control conductors extending between a circuit breaker and lacontrol station, closing means for the circuit breaker, a closing relay adjacent the circuit breaker for actuating said circuit breaker closing means, a tripping means for the circuit breaker, means at the control station including said iirst control conductor for energizing the closing relay, means at the control station including said second conductor for actuating said tripping means to open the breaker, circuit means including said first control conductor responsive to the opening of the circuit breaker for energizing said closing relay to automaticallyr reclose the breaker, a release relay at the control station, circuit means including said third control conductor responsive to the actuation of the said closing relay and the reclosure of the circuit breaker for energizing said release relay, and means whereby the actuation of said release relay opens the energizing circuit for said closing relay to prevent a second reclosure of the breaker in the event that it is tripped following the first reclosure thereof.

5. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system, first, second, and third control conductors extending between a circuit breaker and a control station, closing means for the circuit breaker, a closing relay adjacent the circuit breaker for actuating said circuit breaker closing means, a tripping means for the circuit breaker, means at the control station operable over said rst control conductor for energizing the closing relay, means at the control station operable over said second conductor for actuating said tripping means, circuit means including said rst control conductor responsive to the opening of the circuit breaker for energizing said closing relay to effect an automatic reclosure of the breaker, a release relay at the'control station, circuit means including said third control conductor responsive to the actuation of the said closing relay and the reclosure of the circuit breaker for energizing said release relay, means whereby the actuation of said release relay opens the energizing circuit for said closing relay to .preclude a second automatic reclosure of the breaker in the event that the breaker is tripped following the first reclosure, and manually releasable means at the control station for holding the release relay in actuated position.

6. In an automatic reclcslng circuit breaker control system, rst, second, and third control conductors extending between a circuit breaker and a control station, means actuable at the control station and including said first conductor for closing the circuit breaker, means actuable`at the control station and including said secondconductor Ioriftrippins the Vcircuit breaker,

essonnev means responsive to the opening of the circuit breaker and including said iirst conductor for automatically reclosing the breaker, means at the control station operable in response tothe reclosure of the breaker by means including said third conductor for rendering the said means responsive to the opening of the breaker ineffective lto eiect another reclosure of the breaker inl the event'that it opens in response to the first reclosure, and means at the control station responsive to the position of the breaker and including said second `conductor for indicating the breaker position.

7. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system, iirst, second, and third control conductors extending between a control station and a circuit breaker, closing means for the circuit breaker, tripping means for the circuit breaker, means actuable at the control station and including said first control conductor for actuating the breaker closing means, means actuable at the control station and including said second control conductor for actuating said breaker tripping means, means responsive to the opening of the circuit breaker and including said first control conductor for actuating said breaker closing means to automatically reclose the breaker, means at the control station operable in response to the reclosure of the breaker by means including said third control conductor for rendering the means responsive to the opening of the breaker ineiective to effect another reclosure of the breaker, and means at the control station responsive to the position of the .-f breaker and including said second control conductor for indicating the open or closed position of the breaker.

, 8. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system, first, second, and third control conductors extending between a control station and a circuit breaker, closing means for the circuit breaker, tripping means for the circuit breaker, means actuable from the control station and including said nrst control conductor for actuating the closing means to close the breaker, means actuable from the control station and including said second control conductor for actuating said breaker tripping means to open the breaker, means responsive to the opening of the circuit breaker and including said iirst control conductor for actuating said breaker closing means to automatically reclose the breaker, means at the control station operable in response to the reclosure of the breaker by means including said third control conductor for rendering the means responsiveto the opening of the breaker inen'ective to eilect a second reclosure of the breaker in the event that itreopens within a predetermined interval afterthe reclosure thereof, indicating means at the control station, and means responsive to the position of the breaker and including said second control conductor for ycausing said indicating means to indicate the position of thev circuit breaker.

9. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system, first, second, and third control conductors extending between a circuit breaker and a control station, closing means for the circuit breaker, a closing relay adjacent the circuit breaker for actuating said circuit breaker closing means, a tripping means for the circuit breaker, means at the control station operable over said rst control conductor for actuating the closing relayto fclosethe breaker, means at the control station operable over said second conductor for actuating said tripping means, circuit means including said rst control conductor responsive to the opening of the circuit breaker' for energizing said closing relay to automatically reclose the breaker` a release relay at the control station, circuit means including :Laid third control conductor responsive to the actuation of the said closing relay and the closing of the circuit breaker for energizing said release relay, means whereby the actuation o! said release relay opens the energizing circuit for said closing relay to prevent a second auto-matic. reclosure of the breaker, indicating means at thcontrol station, and means including said second control conductor controlled by the position of the circuit breaker for indicatingr the position of the circuit breaker at the control station.

10. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system, rst, second, and third control conductors extending between a circuit breaker and a control station, closing means for the circuit breaker, a closing relay adjacent the circuit breaker for actuating said circuit breaker closing means, a tripping means for the circuit breaker, means at the control station operable over said rst conductor for actuating the closing relay to close the breaker, means at the control station operable over said second conductor for actuating said tripping means to open the breaker, circuit means including said iirst conductor responsive to the opening of the circuit breaker for energizing said closing relay to automatically reclose the breaker, a release relay at the control station. said relay having manually releasable means for holding it in an energized position, circuit means including said third conductor responsive to the actuation of the said closing relay and the closing of the circuit breaker for energizing said release relay, means whereby the actuation of said release relay opens the energizing circuit for said closing relay to prevent a second automatic reclosure of the breaker, indicating means at the control station, and means including said second control conductor controlled by the position of the circuit breaker for operating said indicating means to indicate the position of the circuit breaker at the control station.

11. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system, rst, second, and third control conductors extending between a circuit breaker station and a control station; a source of control power common to said stations; a closing relay for the breaker; a tripping relay for the breaker; a closing circuit extending from said one terminal of the source of control power at the control station to the other terminal of the source of control power at the breaker station and comprising a first circuit control device and a second circuit control device at the control station, said rst control conductor and the closing relay at the breaker station; a tripping circuit extending from one terminal of the control power source at the control station to the other terminal of the control power source at the breaker station and comprising a. circuit control device at the control station, said second control conductor, said tripping device and circuit contact element actuable to closed position by the closure of the circuit breaker; a release relay at the control station for opening one of the circuit control devices in the closing circuit when actuated; means responsive to the closure 0f the circuit breaker and including said third control conductor for actuating said release relay to open the closing circuit; manually releasable means for holding said release relay in actuated position whereby the closing circuit is retained in an opened condition to preclude a second automatic reclosure, means responsive to the position of the circuit breaker for connecting said second conductor to one or the other of the terminals of the source of control power at the breaker station; a pair of indicating devices connected in circuit relation across said source of control power at the control station; and means connecting said rst conductor between said indicating means.

12. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker control system, rst, second, and third control conductors extending between a control station and a circuit breaker station; a source of control power common to said stations, a tripping means for the circuit breaker; a closing relay for the circuit breaker; an energizing circuit for the closing relay including a control switch at the control station and said first control conductor; a tripping circuit extending from one terminal of the control power source at the control station to the other terminal 0f the control power source at the breaker station and comprising a circuit control device at the control station, said second control conductor, said tripping device and a circuit control element actuable to closed position by the closure of the circuit breaker; a reactor at the control station having a saturating winding and a reactive winding; a series circuit extending from the one terminal of the source of control power at the control station through said saturating winding of the reactor to the said second conductor and including a rst indicating device; a timing device; means responsive to the opening of the breaker and including said first conductor ior energizing the closing relay to automatically reclose the breaker; relay means at the control station operated over said third control conductor responsive to the reclosure of the circuit breaker for opening the energizing circuit of the closing relay to preclude a second automatic reclosure of the breaker and for closing an alternating current circuit through said timing device and said reactive winding; means controlled by said timing device for opening the timing device circuit and operating said relay means to close the closing relay circuit after a predetermined interval of energization of the timing device; a

y second indicating device, a circuit connecting said second indicating device between said second conductor and the said other terminal of the source of control power at the control station; and a circuit controlled by the opening of the circuit breaker for connecting said second conductor to the said one terminal of the source of control power at the breaker station.

MAURICE E. REAGAN. 

